Objects in Motion
by Moondance K'Treva
Summary: Lyssa Bohrihim was a normal girl living a somewhat less-than-normal life in the town of Bluegrace, three day's ride from the capital city of Haven. One day her less-than-normal life became decidedly abnormal...
1. Chapter 1 From Peace

disclaimer: what you don't recognize is mine. what you do recognize belongs to mercedes lackey (misty).

please read and review. and i hope you enjoy what i've written as much as i enjoyed writing it.

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Lyssa whirled to meet her opponent's blade, her eyes sharp and slitted against the morning sunlight. He raised his other hand to take hold of her free arm just as she spun away from him, her feet a blur of motion. Sweat trickled down her back in a slow stream and her hands ached, but she held tight to the light rapier in one hand and her dagger with the other.

They circled each other for a moment, then she launched herself forward, slashing first with her rapier in a downward motion. She quickly followed the move almost in the instant that it connected with his blade, bringing her dagger up under his guard. But he was fast, much too fast for someone his size, disengaging from their locked blades and dancing away from her, an arrogant smirk on his face.

Wasting no time, she pressed forward, quickly switching her hold on her dagger in preparation of an overhand strike. He saw the motion with a quick flicker of his eyes and moved forward to meet her. As she brought her dagger up in preparation for the strike, he disarmed her rapier hand in one swift motion, kicking her to the ground and stepping lightly on her dagger hand. With one quick move, he killed her.

She smiled up at her father and used her free hand to wipe the sweat from her eyes. Justus reached down to help his daughter up, smiling at her.

"You did well. But you're still telegraphing your moves too much. We'll work on that." He promised, his eyes glimmering, "Now, walk a little and stretch so you don't stiffen up."

Lys pulled off her practice armor and tossed it in a heap to be put away later, "Yes, sir." she said, then began a series of stretches in preparation for her walk. Tired as she was, she knew better than to just stop after that kind of sustained exercise. The last time she had disobeyed her father, he had said nothing, but had forced her stiff limbs into vigorous motion the next morning. She had no desire to repeat the experience.

Her father walked next to her and they talked, as was their custom when he was at home. He had just come back from six months on the border and they had much to catch up on.

At eighteen, Lys was his oldest child and only daughter. Crysia, her mother, had never had an easy time with childbearing, so all the children were fairly spaced out. Their second child was just turning sixteen now and bore his father's name. The third and fourth were the twins, Lendel and Symon at seven years old. And last but not least was little Arilam who was two.

He talked of his time out on the border and she filled him in on the latest news of the family and herself. Justus' namesake was progressing in his studies with the same proficiency that he progressed in the arts of war. The twins had just recently started taking the classes required for all children by Valdemaran law and were very enthusiastic about it. They called their tutors "tooters" and regaled the house with stories about what letters go where in the alphabet at nightly meals. The baby was the baby, and was already toddling around the house and bumping into trouble at every turn.

After they were sure that their muscles were sufficiently stretched and their bodies cooled down from the workout, they set about cleaning up the practice armor and weapons from the yard then headed off to bathe before the evening meal.

Lys made her way back towards the bath house with a towel and a clean split skirt and shirt over her arm, one hand freeing her long hair from the knot that it had been confined to for the whole of her training session. She shook it out with a sigh and went about firing the kiln that warmed the water for her bath. That done, she disrobed and filled the tub, luxuriating in the warm steam that filled the bitter cold room as the tub slowly filled up.

After her bath, she left the kiln on for her father, dressed and walked back up to the house, shivering as her still-wet hair chilled in the winter evening air.

Entering the house, the smells of cooking dinner washed over her and she smiled and poked her head into the family room. Her father had the baby on his knees and was bouncing him while the toddler shrieked gleefully.

She smiled to herself, drinking in the scene for a moment, "Bath's free, da. I left the water hot for you."

He looked up from the baby's face and smiled warmly at her, "Thanks, kitten. Take him?" he stood, then, his large muscular frame obscuring the light from the fireplace for a moment. She crossed the room and took the baby from him, cooing and tickling his feet. Justus kissed her on the forehead and then headed out the door towards the bath.

Balancing the baby on her hip, she headed towards the enticing smells emanating from the kitchen. Walking in, she took in the welcome of her sight of her mother in earth green robes stirring something undoubtedly delicious in a large pot on the stove. In that kitchen, surrounded by the herbs and flowers that were part of her craft as a Healer, her mother looked like nothing so much as a Goddess brought down to earth. The baby squealed and reached out to her and her mother raised her eyes at the sound.

"Need some help, mama?" she asked, moving across the space between them so that her mother could take the baby. Crysia took the baby from her and planted a soft kiss on her daughter's forehead. Lys took advantage of having her hands free to pull her long hair into a tight bun at the back of her neck, pulling it up off her face.

"If you would go and get your brother for supper. He's still over at the bookbinders. I swear, that boy would live in a book, if given the chance."

Lys laughed, "You're probably right. I'll go and fetch our little errant bookworm." With that, she spun and left the room, snatching her cloak and boots in the hallway and slipping all three on as she walked out the door.

The night air was cold and clear. She looked up and could pick out the individual constellations like pinpricks in black velvet, hovering over her head.

As she walked down the street, passing the local businesses as they closed for the day, she nodded at the people on the street. They all knew her here, the daughter of Justus Bohrihim. Her family was very well respected because of the work that he had done to keep this town safe over the years. When they had arrived here Lys had been a babe in arms, but she had heard the stories. Not from her father, of course, he wasn't that sort of man. But the townsfolk told her enough.

When the Bohrihim family had arrived here, her father had already been an officer in King Sendar's army. The town of Bluegrace had been without militia, without any way to properly defend themselves. Her father took the people of the town and formed them into a solid fighting force. He trained the men and women alike in the use of at least the most rudimentary of weapons.

Since that day, any bandit party thinking to find Bluegrace a town of soft pickings and gentle women had been sorely mistaken.

They had successfully fought off 3 bandit raids in the past two years alone, when the King's militia had been too slow arriving to give them proper aide. All the surrounding towns knew that the walls of Bluegrace were thick and strong, and they were quickly becoming a power to whom the locals turned when they had need of protection.

They still had problems, yes. There were thieves and other lowlifes who still sought to make Bluegrace a home for their type of villainy. But when the entire honest populace is armed and knows the use of those arms, the typical villain doesn't stand much of a chance. Not for any length of time, at any rate.

Reaching the center of town, she turned down a small side street towards the bookbinder's shop. The warm light and smell of tooled leather and paper as she entered was as welcoming to her as her mother's kitchen.

She smiled warmly at the old man who greeted her. A bent, aged, white haired old man, Bookbinder Thomas was one of Lys' favorite people.

"Good evening, Thomas." She said cheerfully, bowing slightly as was appropriate when one entered the presence of a wise one or an elder, and Thomas was both.

"Good evening, Lys." He smiled, "Time for supper?"

"That it is. Mother says that she has some extra stew if you'd be interested in supping with us."

The old man's eyes lit up, "Far be it for me to deny a Healer, I'll get my coat. Your brother is in the back." He bustled off and she made her way alone to the back of the shop.

Her brother had his long nose buried in a tome bigger than Lys' head. He didn't raise his head as she approached, but said, "Hi, Lys." It was always that way with them, they could tell when one another was about. Justus often said that it was like she was a presence inside his head that never went away and, whenever she was near him, the part of his mind that was aware of her would let him know.

"Hey, kid." She said, plopping herself on the edge of the table, her long legs dangling, "Supper's ready. Thomas is going to eat with us. And father's home." At the last, her brother's head snapped up, his eyes glimmering.

"Really? When?" he asked, closing the book and standing. He began to gather his things from the corner where he had stowed them, tossing everything into his carry-bag and throwing his cloak over his shoulders.

"A few hours ago. He's looking forward to seeing you. I told him you're still weak on your left side."

He looked at her, sarcasm dripping from his eyes, "Thanks. You're so loving."

She laughed at the look on his face and threw an arm over his shoulders, "Come on, little brother. Let's go home."

Stepping out onto the street Lys felt a dropping in her stomach. She turned to her brother with worry in her eyes just as a flash of white overwhelmed her vision.

_Bandits, hiding in the hills. Hundreds of them! More than the town could ever fend against. And the nearest detachment of the King's army was miles away, at best._

She flashed out of the vision just long enough to gasp orders to her brother to get home and warn everyone, then her mind was engulfed in white again.

_They descended on the town, slaughtering men and women alike, killing the children. Burning everything to the ground._

She had had these visions before. With the last few bandit attacks, they had begun to get progressively worse. They had started to last longer, the feelings and emotions in them becoming more intense. Now she found that she couldn't even break out of it as she had the last one.

_Her father standing in front of their house, sword in hand. It took seven of the bandits to do it, but eventually he fell and they flooded into the house with a fury born from his resistance._

Lys watched helplessly as they slaughtered her brothers and mother and burned her home to the ground. The vision held her in a vice grip, forcing her to see things that she would have rather died then witness.

Then, suddenly, she felt the vision ripped away as if by a strong hand. She was lying in the street, Thomas kneeling over her, presumably trying to make her come around. But someone else was there as well.

She turned slightly to the side and looked straight into the eyes of the most beautiful horse she had ever seen. His long white mane and tail glimmered in the clear moonlight. She looked into his blue eyes and heard a deep, strong voice in her mind.

:_Lyssa. I am Aimery and I Choose you. I will never leave your side._: her mind was flooded with blue, love and acceptance riding the wave of that light into the deepest corners of her heart. As the light receded, the feeling remained behind, and she found that she was on her feet with her arms wrapped tight around his silky neck.

Then she remembered, "The bandits!" she exclaimed. She launched herself into the saddle quicker than thought and turned quickly, holding her hand out to Thomas, "Can you ride?" she asked urgently.

"I suppose. If I have to." He answered reluctantly, taking her hand.

"You have to." She answered, and pulled him up into the saddle in front of her. Aimery wheeled beneath her and turned towards home.

Riding up to the house, she saw that her father had already gotten the local men into a group in front of the house, and he was giving them instructions to evacuate the town. One look at their grim, hard-lined faces, and Lys knew that her father had chosen rightly when he had put these men in charge.

She vaulted from the saddle as the crowd parted in front of Aimery, rushing up to her father. He put his arm around her shoulder and hugged her for a moment, then turned back to the men he had assembled. Thomas slid slowly off of the saddle behind her and joined the ranks of the men. Old though he might be, he knew his duty to the people of this town and would not shirk it.

"Get the women and children out. Tell them to leave their valuables. Anything that it will take the bandits a while to loot will give us extra time to get our families as far from here as possible. Take all the horses in the town and get them _out_. I've sent a messenger bird to the local militia, they'll get here as soon as they can."

The men all nodded affirmation and moved quickly to dispense their tasks quickly and efficiently. Justus looked down at his daughter, then up at the horse she'd ridden in on. His eyes suddenly widened in shock and he took both of her shoulders in his two hands and looked her in the eye.

"A Companion? You've been Chosen?" he asked, smiling gleefully. She nodded, smiling as deliriously as him. He quickly collected himself, "Go inside and help your mother. I have things that I have to do."

"Yes, sir." She nodded and looked back at Aimery, "Can you carry my father for a while? I don't want anything to happen to him…" Justus looked at her in shock, then met the Companion's deep blue eyes.

:_I will keep him safe for you, Chosen. If you need me, I'll be here._:

"Aimery says he'll carry you, da. He'll keep you safe."

Her father looked slightly shocked but his military training took over in a flash. He mounted quickly, reaching down to squeeze Lys' hand, then Aimery rushed off, following the crowd of dispersing men towards the other end of town.

Lys watched them go and turned to the house, rushing inside she took the stairs two at a time and dove into her room. Opening the chest at the foot of her bed, she pulled out three throwing daggers, placing two in her boots and one in her belt. She fixed her twin daggers to her belt on one side and her rapier to the other. On her way out the door, she snatched up a quiver of arrows and her deer hunting bow.

Stopping in the hallway, she opened the large closet there and pulled out a small, cloth-wrapped package, tucking it under her shirt, she rushed to her mother's room.

Her mother was in the bedroom making quick work of packing a small bag with things for the baby, soft cloth and the like. She looked up at her daughter's entrance.

"Lys, your brother is making a pack of food. I already have my Healer's bag full. Will you saddle the horses?" Lys nodded grimly and left as quickly as she had come.

Outside the townsfolk had already begun leaving slowly, in twos and threes, small packs over their shoulders. She felt immensely proud of them. The fewer that left at a time, the less suspicious the bandits would get and the more paths there would be for them to follow. They already had a rendezvous point set up a few miles from the town, but every townsperson knew better than to follow any path that had already been walked. They would lead these bandits on a merry chase, should they decide to try and follow them.

She circled the house and entered the stables. The horses inside all raised their heads at the sound of her footsteps. Her father's warhorse, Bane, was first on her list to be saddled, since he was the most difficult. She pulled him out of his stall and made quick work of saddling him. He moved to bite her only once, but one good punch in the shoulder silenced him. Next was Rose, her mother's gentle palfrey, who merely stood still and nuzzled her as she threw saddle and bridle on her. Her brother's long-legged gelding Ironheart was next, then the patient and aptly named mare Willow that she had gotten last year after her old pony had died of old age.

She pulled them one at a time to the front of the house with surprisingly little incident. Justus was already outside and began loading the food and other essentials on Lys' horse at her instruction. Her mother was loading her healing herbs and kits onto Rose's back as Lys rounded the bend with Ironheart saddled and ready.

"Mama, I want you to take Justus and the other boys and go to the rendezvous point. I'll take Bane, get da, and we'll meet you there."

Crysia looked at the horses and her eyes widened a little in alarm, "Lys, why are the packs all on Willow? You know Ironheart can't carry-"

Lys swung up into Bane's saddle and looked down at her mother, "You needed one of them to carry the packs. I'll be fine. I'll explain later. Go."

Her mother ran to Bane's stirrup and grabbed her daughter's hand, kissing it, "Be careful, kitten. I love you."

"I love you too, mama. Take care of yourself and the boys." At that moment, Justus emerged from the house, his short sword slung over his back, daggers at his side and crossbow in his hand. Lys smiled and nodded to him, he nodded back. They had both been trained by their father, they would be all right.

Putting her heels to Bane's sides, she pointed his head in the direction Aimery and her father had gone and didn't look back.

She tried to remember what it was like when Aimery had spoken in her mind and imitate it. :_Aimery. Where are you?_:

There was surprise and a little pride in his mindvoice as he answered, :_By the temple, Lys. Your father is organizing the next batch to leave. Your mother has gone?_:

:_She was just leaving as I called you. How's da?_:

:_He is worried, but hiding it well. A good leader._: she smiled his affirmation of what she had always known about her father.

A few moments later, she turned the corner and saw her father, no longer mounted on Aimery, giving directions to a group of women and children. They were packed and ready to go. As she rode up, they all dispersed to head to the rendezvous. Justus smiled as he saw her approach and moved to meet her. She slid off Bane's back as they approached him, striding forward to take hold of his arms.

"Mama's left. She took the boys and the other horses and some bare essentials. I made sure I grabbed this for you." She took the small package from under her shirt and offered it to him. His smile seemed almost to break his face into two pieces as he accepted it.

"Thank you, kitten." He whispered, grabbing hold of her hand.

She smiled back at him, then her eyes hardened, "We should go now." She insisted.

His demeanor became hard as well, "Yes. Mount up. It's time to go."

Aimery turned to the side to allow her to mount and the two headed side by side out into the night.


	2. Chapter 2 Clash

Jerry Unipeg and Tessabe: thanks for the reviews and the compliments:) i appreciate it.

Sultar: thanks! you're right about her mom, though. i hadn't thought about that much. i think i kind of moved past that part too fast cause i was eager to get to the next bit:) but you do see some moremotherly concern in this chapter.

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They reached the rendezvous point shortly after Crysia and the boys. Justus launched himself from Bane's saddle and gathered his wife in his arms. Lys stayed on Aimery's back, enjoying the solid feeling of the Companion beneath her. Her father slowly detached himself from his wife and turned to his sons, and Crysia's eyes lit on her daughter and grew wide.

"Lyssa. Is that? Is he?" she smiled hugely and stepped towards Aimery slowly, reaching her hand out towards him.

She slid from Aimery's back, then, because she had a feeling that her mother would want to hug her any moment. "My Companion, mama." _Her Companion_! "His name is Aimery." The Companion inclined his majestic head in Crysia's direction.

Her mother had tears in her eyes as she turned to Lys again, "You've been Chosen. My girl, a Herald! Oh, my darling girl." She exclaimed, then gathered Lys in her arms and hugged her tightly. She could feel Aimery smiling benevolently in the back of her mind. She pulled away first and looked her mother in the face.

"Is everyone here?" she asked earnestly. Her mother nodded, "Good, I'm going to ride to the top of the ridge and see how things are going in town. Everyone else start moving towards Haven. It's a good three day's ride from here, so we need to get started as soon as possible. I'll catch up with you."

Her mother began to protest, but Justus cut her off, "She's right. We can't stay here until those bandits are taken care of at any rate. By now they could already be burning the place to the ground, for all we know. Haven will at least take us in."

"But Lyssa-" Crysia broke in.

"Lyssa has a Companion. Faster than a normal horse by a stretch. She can get back there, take a look, then catch up with us and let us know what's happening. Besides, if this lad is anything like the stories about Companions claim, she's safer with him than she would be with a whole contingent of fighters at her side. Let her go. We should get moving."

"But-" she cast her eyes back to her child, "she's just-" before she could even finish the thought, Justus broke in again.

"She's not 'just' anything. I've been training her since she could toddle. Even without the Companion, I'd trust her to take care of herself. The Companion just makes me _sure_ she'll be all right. She can take care of herself." Lys felt tears in her eyes at her father's defense of her adulthood and fought them down past the lump in her throat.

:_He's right, you know._: Aimery chimed in, :_You've been quite well trained by him. Better than most warriors. Our Weaponmaster is going to be quite impressed by you._: She turned to look at her Companion, joy and determination coloring her features.

:_Thank you._: she whispered mentally. Then she turned back to her parents. Her mother turned from her father to Lys and back again, her eyes brimming with tears. Then she pushed past him and embraced her daughter.

"Be careful, kitten. We'll see you soon." She whispered fiercely, the tears audible in her voice. Then she released her and let her Justus ushered her back towards her brothers.

Her father returned and stood looking at her, his eyes as hard as they had been during any drill. She straightened her shoulders to look as directly as possible into his eyes.

"Be quick. Don't get caught. See what's happening and then head straight back here. You know the route we'll be taking. You'll do fine." He nodded at her and kissed her forehead, then turned to join the rest of the group as they moved on.

Lys turned back to Aimery, :_Shall we go?_: she asked.

He turned his side to her so she could mount, :_Yes._: She vaulted easily into the saddle and they set off along the ridge that rimmed the town.

:_Where exactly are we headed?_: Aimery asked.

She sent him an image of the place, just to the north of the town. It was a place that she had gone to often when she had need of solitude, or for extra arms practice with her brother. Looking out over the town had been a very soothing thing for her when she was younger. Something about the permanence of it. No matter where she ended up later in life, Bluegrace would still be there.

She feared that looking out at her home from the cliff tonight might bring her feelings quite to the contrary of peace.

Aimery's mind took in the image of the place along with her feelings about it, :_Beautiful._: he remarked. :_I understand why you love it so much._:

They rode on in silence, her sense of foreboding making the hair on the back of her neck prickle in apprehension. As they emerged from the stand of trees that reached nearly the edge of the cliff, she felt her eyes begin to tear at the sight of smoke rising against the clear night sky.

:_Steady, love. Steady._: Aimery's voice spoke softly in her head as he stepped determinately to the edge. Once there, Lys looked down over the fields and town that had been her home and couldn't stop the tear that rolled down her cheek. The whole town was being lit aflame by the bandit's torches. Even this far away she could smell the burning grass and wood from the houses. She could barely see the bandits moving in and out of the houses through the smoke, looting.

She turned her head away, unable to bear it. The good thing was that the bandits seemed to be too preoccupied with looting to consider following the trails of the townsfolk.

Aimery turned them away, his head slightly lower than it had been. :_I'm sorry, beloved. Truly._: the genuine sorrow in his voice ushered new tears down her face.

:_Me too, Aimery. Me too. I suppose we should go._: Rather than reply, Aimery simply began to move back the way that they had come, his Chosen taking one last look at the plumes of smoke rising from what was once her home.

They stayed silent as they made their way through the darkened forest. Lys was brooding and Aimery could think of nothing to say that would make her feel better. How do you console someone who has just lost everything they've ever known? He could tell her that it would be all right, but those sorts of consolations always felt hollow even before he uttered them. So, not knowing what to say, he kept silent.

Even the birds in the trees were quiet as they ghosted through the woods the way they had come. There were no night owls hooting, no small rodents foraging. The forest was as still and silent as a tomb.

That alone should have told them that something was wrong. And, if they had both not been wrapped up in Lys' grief, they might have. As it was, the pair discovered that there was something wrong only after the arrow had thumped into the tree and stuck, vibrating, inches in front of Lys' face.

She turned quickly to see one of the bandits lower his bow, then nock another arrow on the string and prepare to draw again. As he raised the bow to sight along the shaft, five more of them emerged from the trees, mounted.

:_RUN!_: Lys yelled, and Aimery needed no urging. He pounded up the trail the way they had come, weaving between trees to make them a tougher target to hit. Soon the archer was not the one they had to worry about, however. Once they left his range, Lys could still hear the sounds of galloping hooves as the other bandits pursued them. She silently cursed the Companion's white coats that made them stand out against the forest background.

When they reached the turn they had first made to enter the path that would take them to the cliff, Aimery turned left, away from the direction they had come from.

:_Where are you going?! We have to catch up with the others!_: Lys shouted, trying without success to pull the Companion's head around.

:_If we go that way they'll follow us and slaughter everyone! Is that really what you want?_: Aimery demanded. She had the strong feeling of a newborn being shoved onto her bottom as the truth of what he had said rang in her mind.

:_No._: she answered decisively. Then she had an idea, :_Can you help me stay on? I'm going to try something._: She sent him a general idea of what she was thinking.

She only had to wait a moment for his response, his voice bright with pride, :_Do it, Chosen. I will not let you fall._:

She quickly turned in the saddle so that she was facing backwards. Pulling her bow from her shoulders, she nocked an arrow on the string and sighted along it, singling out the first of the three riders. Moments later he had the feathered shaft of her arrow in his throat and she was reaching for another arrow. His companions watched him fall and drew their swords, rage painting their faces an ugly red.

She didn't have any time to feel nervous, for all that this was the first time she had faced anyone other than family or friends in friendly sparring sessions. It was all in her training now. Her body acted independently of her mind, nocking arrows to her bowstring and firing in quick succession. She wounded one bandit's leg and took another down with a shot to the heart.

One of the bandits pulled a crossbow from where it had been strapped to the back of his saddle. In the middle of drawing her bow, he let his bolt fly. It buried itself deep in her left shoulder and she dropped her bow with a cry of pain.

She swayed in the saddle for a moment, the pain making her temporarily blind and deaf. Her body swayed in the saddle and she knew with grim certainty that she was going to fall, despite Aimery's best efforts.

Then, abruptly, he stopped running. :_Jump, Chosen. We will face the last of them on the ground._: his voice was deadly and calm, and part of her pitied the bandits as the slid from his saddle to stand at his side.

Ignoring the pain in her shoulder, she drew her rapier with her right hand and stood ready. Aimery took a position at her side, feet splayed apart, eyes blazing. The blood from her shoulder stained part of his coat deep red. In the darkness beneath the trees, it was impossible to tell that he was unlike any other exceptionally well-bred and -trained horse.

The last three bandits rode up, glaring at the impudent woman who dared to challenge them. The two who could walk swung down from their horses, sure that her skill with a blade could not rival theirs. Confident in the idea of their victory, they approached her with the swords held low, unguarded.

As soon as they got within striking distance of her, she launched herself at the closer of the two. His eyes were wide as her sword swung in a broad arc and came down on his collarbone. She could hear the sick cracking of bone as the blow connected and watched as the shock in his eyes turned to pain. Before he even hit the ground, she rounded on the other man, cutting up under his guard. However, he had recovered quickly after watching his friend's death, and charged her, getting in behind her blade before she could even touch him with it.

Her shoulder flared in pain, and she felt herself nearly pass out from it as the force of their combined momentum drove her backwards into a tree. The man stepped back away from her for a moment and she sank to the ground, unable to stand. Before he could even think about closing with her again, Aimery charged him, knocking him to the ground. He delivered one brutal kick to the man's head, then turned to her, concern in every line of his equine body.

:_Chosen, are you-_: he started, then looked up at the sound of hooves as the last bandit, unable to walk due to an arrow in his leg, beat a hasty retreat through the forest. Lyssa's head came up quickly and her eyes scanned the ground, looking for the hunting bow she had dropped. Seeing it, she grabbed hold of a branch near her head and used it to lever herself up into a standing position. Aimery, taking a brief look through her eyes, retrieved the bow without a second thought.

They both knew that, if that bandit was able to make it back to the town, they would be out and searching for them within the hour. They couldn't afford that. It was just as likely that they would chase the townsfolk as it was that they would chase Aimery and Lys. The townsfolk had no chance of escape, burdened as they were with small children and their possessions; Lys was injured. It was a lose-lose situation. Either way, the bandits would catch up with one group or the other, and people would die.

Lys removed the bow gently from Aimery's teeth and nocked an arrow to the string. She drew it back with her right arm, grimacing at the pain. Her vision turned black at the edges and she felt herself swaying. Then Aimery was there, in her mind. He steadied her and dulled some of the pain, letting her aim without worrying about passing out.

She let fly, and watched with grim satisfaction as the arrow buried itself in the man's back. He fell heavily from his horse, and she felt Aimery withdraw from her mind as she lowered the bow. The pain flared as he removed his presence and she swayed and fell back against the tree, biting her lip from the pain.

:_We need to go, Chosen. Can you get yourself into the saddle?_: She nodded at him, but the worry in her mind was not so much in getting on, but in not falling off.

Aimery's voice, confident, sure, rang in her mind, :_I will not let you fall._: She felt that surety in her bones and inclined her head. He turned his side to her and knelt down so that she wouldn't have to drag herself into the saddle. She arranged herself and grabbed hold of the horn of the saddle as he stood slowly.

She felt him thinking as she settled herself into the saddle, gathering the reins up in her right hand as much as possible. He came to some conclusion and she heard his voice in her mind again.

:_Under the stirrups and at the back of the saddle, there are straps that you can use to fasten yourself in. I can keep you on, but I'll be able to get you to help faster if I don't have to worry about you sliding off._:

Lys located the straps with little difficulty and fastened them into place. As soon as she had the last one buckled, Aimery surged under her, galloping off into the East, toward Haven.


	3. Chapter 3 Consequence

disclaimer: the idea of valdemar, heralds, companions and some of the characters that i use in this story are not mine. they belong to misty. if they were mine, i assure you that they would not be as good and there would be no fanfiction devoted to them.

Tessabe: thank you so much it means alot when writers that i like tell me that they like me, too.

high-off-life: i'll try. thanks for reviewing!

orlha: and it's going to get alot better in a few chapters!

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speaking of motivation, this chapter is shorter than the other two and i'm sorry for that. school eats my life. i will write more in the nextchapter.

enjoy!

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When she came to, she was buried in blankets in a strange bed. She opened her eyes and took in the room around her. Light green walls, two chairs to her right, facing the bed that she was lying in. White blankets on the bed. She stirred a little, snuggling deep into the warmth and was shocked when she realized that her shoulder didn't hurt at all. Reaching up with her right arm, she ran her hand along her collarbone until she felt bandages. So she was at a Healer's place. No wonder she wasn't in pain.

Just as she was about to try and sit up, the door opened and a man in green robes walked in, smiling good-naturedly. He was short and balding a little. He reminded her of the priest from Bluegrace, and she found that she liked him instantly.

Following him was a man dressed all in white. He must have been about her age, but with a certain air about him that spoke of infinitely more maturity than his years would lend him credit for. She recognized the cut of the cloth immediately as a Herald's formal uniform and her eyes grew wide.

She was so astonished that she didn't even realize that she was mindspeaking again:_I'm in-_:

:_Haven._: Aimery's voice answered in her mind. :_That's Herald Dominic. He met us at the gate this morning._:

"Well, it looks like you're finally with us." The little Healer said, bustling around to her side and tucking down the blankets that were covering her shoulder. "How do you feel?"

She pulled her eyes away from the Herald with serious reluctance and looked at the Healer, "Better. Much better. Thank you." Her voice was shaking a little and she fought the shivering feeling in her stomach down.

For the first time since leaving Bluegrace, she had a moment to contemplate what had happened to her. Aimery had Chosen her. She was going to be a Herald. Everything she had known for her whole life had changed.

There was a moment of disorientation when she realized that she no longer could call Bluegrace her home. Remembering the events of that night, she knew with dreadful certainty that Bluegrace probably no longer existed. She pulled herself back to the present and shoved down the tears that swelled up at the memory of her beloved town in flames.

The little Healer finished examining her bandages and left the room. He also left Lys a potion for the pain and instructions to drink it when the pain came back or she decided that she wanted to sleep. She smiled and thanked him as he left. Herald Dominic closed the door behind him and turned to her with a smile on his face.

"Well, we're glad to have you awake and with us, Lyssa. I'm-"

"- Herald Dominic." She finished for him, "Aimery told me."

He laughed slightly and smiled at her, "Very good. You can call me Dominic."

She tucked a wayward strand of hair behind her ear and ducked her head, suddenly self-conscious. The pause between the two lengthened until eventually she remembered –

"My family! The town! Are they-"

Dominic took a step towards the bed, spurred by the desperation in her voice, "They're fine. A contingent of the King's men ran into them about two day's ride from here. The town… I'm so sorry, Lyssa. I'm afraid that Bluegrace was burned to the ground once the bandits finished looting it."

She took in his words with a soberness and silence that worried him, her eyes somewhere distant and far away. Then she looked directly at him and he watched all those walls crumble. Her face became a picture of loss as tears streamed down her cheeks. He was sitting on the bed at her side within a breath, his arms around her.

"I know it's stupid," she whispered through her sobs, "My family, my people are safe, that's all that matters. But that place meant so much to me – to all of us. It's hard to imagine it being gone."

Dominic turned his head towards her hair, pressing his lips against it as he whispered, "It's not stupid to love a place. It's not stupid that you feel loss. Better to feel loss than to feel nothing. I would think you a woman of ice if you did not weep for your home."

Hearing the genuine sincerity in his voice only made her cry harder. It was at least a candlemark before she was able to put herself under control again. She pushed slightly against his shoulders and he released her, moving from the bed to the chair beside it.

"I'm sorry." she began, and he cut her off with a curt gesture, handing her a handkerchief.

"Don't apologize. You needed someone to cry on, to grieve with. I'm glad that you felt you could unburden yourself with me. Feel better?"

She wiped the tears from her cheeks with the end of the handkerchief and smiled over at him, "Much. Thank you."

He smiled back at her and stood up, "Well, you should rest and I have duties. I will see you tomorrow, probably. Sleep well." He moved to the door and opened it, then turned back to her, "Welcome to Haven, Lyssa Bohrihim." He said, then left before she could reply.

Lyssa leaned back in her bed, smiling. She groped for her connection with Aimery.

:_Aimery?_: she called with her mind, not entirely sure she knew what she was doing.

:_I'm here, Chosen. How are you feeling?_:

Nestling back into the cushions of her bed, she smiled:_Better. Especially now that I know that mama and da and the boys are all right. Once I remembered to worry, I was terrified for them._:

:_I know you were. I'm sorry that I didn't think to tell you when you first woke._:

:_It's all right. No harm done. I was too groggy at first to think of much._:

There was laughter in his mind-voice when he replied:_I know._:

Suddenly a thought occurred to her:_Aimery… Those men… I killed them._: her mindvoice trembled a little as she formed the words and she felt tears coming to her eyes at the thought.

:_Yes you did, my love. You did._: His voice was so calm and comforting that the tears she was attempting to hold back overflowed, pouring down her face like rain on panes of glass. She buried her face in her pillow as she cried. Through the thick haze of grief that laced her mind, she had a strong sense of Aimery holding her close as she wept, whispering comforting nothings to her in his deep, even voice.

They were Bad Men. And she was right to kill them. They would have killed her without a second thought. But she had never even fought someone before outside of practice, and the reality of killing another human being was a harsh one for her to bear.

:_I feel like such a horrible person._: she whispered, her sobs slowing to a point where she could think coherently again.

:_Nonsense. You would be horrible if you **didn't** feel that way. Only evil people kill without a second thought, Lys. And you would not be my Chosen if you did not feel bad for killing._:

She smiled at that and wiped her eyes with the back of her sleeve. She sent Aimery a wordless burst of appreciation. Those had been exactly the words she needed to hear. She still felt awful, but at least she had his reassurance that it was all right to feel that way. Feeling his response, a silent flood of love and support, she smiled even more and rolled back over onto her back.

Now that she was done crying, she felt herself beginning to tire. She reached shakily for the potion the Healer had left beside her bed. Drinking it, she made a sour face. Healers' brews always seemed to taste awful.

:_I think it's some sort of unspoken rule._: Aimery volunteered:_If they tasted good, we would be spoilt._:

She laughed slightly and leaned back again in her bed:_When my family gets here-_: she began, concern heavy in her voice.

:_I'll have someone let you know. And I'll have them sent to you._:

:_Thank you, love._: she whispered, feeling the potion already taking effect.

:_Think nothing of it. Sleep now. You need it._:

Knowing that Aimery would see to things, Lys drew the covers up sleepily. She was unconscious within moments.


	4. Chapter 4 Orienting

prostrates herself i'm sooooooooooooooooooooooooooo sorry it took so long to post this chapter. i just started school. forgive me, my fellow fanfic writers! please?

disclaimer: i don't own anything but the plot for my character and the others i've made up. if you actually recognize anything, it doesn't belong to me.

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wizard: thank you so much! i love getting positive feedback. 

jerry unipeg: thanks :)

orlha: the chapters arenormally huge. that last one just wound up being short because of where i had to cut it off.

tessabe: thanks alot :)

kathleen mccrory: thank you very much. again, i'm sorry this chapter took so long.

please read and keep reviewing. the next chapter will be up much sooner than this one was, i promise.

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Lys woke the next morning to the sounds of birds twittering outside of her room's only window. She sat up and blinked blearily at the light streaming in through still-sleepy eyes. Looking around the room, she noted that someone had laid out a set of trainee's grays for her to wear. They were the same cut and style as Herald's Whites, the only difference being that they were light gray in color. It was that way with all of those being trained in the respective Collegiums. Bardic trainees wore rust red, Healers wore light green. 

She dragged herself up out of the bed and set her feet on the cold floor.

:_Up and about, I see._: Aimery's voice grumbled in her mind.

:_And a good morning to you, Companion Grumpy._: she replied cheerfully:_Not a morning horse, I gather?_:

His only response was an un-horse-like snarl. Lys laughed to herself and pulled off the white nightgown she had been wearing, being careful not to aggravate her shoulder too badly. She tugged on the gray shirt and pants carefully. Just as she was fastening her boots, the door opened and a young woman dressed in identical grays walked in. Lys sat up at the sound of the door opening and met her eyes.

"Oh!" the girl exclaimed, her blue eyes going wide. She was clearly astonished to see Lys awake, much less up and dressed.

Lys recovered more smoothly than the astonished trainee. She stood slowly, smiling, "Good morning. I'm Lys." She said, and held out her hand in greeting.

The girl blinked twice and held out her hand in response, "Tiarana. But people mostly call me Rana."

Lys nodded, "Good to meet you."

Rana quickly took in Lys' grays with a critical eye, after which she smiled and proclaimed, "You're lucky. Yours actually fit you pretty well. Grays're mostly recycled through the incoming trainees. They get worn in 'til they're worn out. Most places, they'd fix the average-sized ones before the abnormal ones, but not the Collegium. They fix the odd ones, then they get to the ones for kids that're average sized."

As she talked, her eyes danced underneath her shock of red hair and Lys decided that she liked her. She seemed to be younger, but Lys never was good at judging ages. She was definitely shorter that Lys, and stockier. From her accent, she was city folk. Probably a merchant's daughter or something like.

"So, are you ready to go?" Rana asked, raising an eyebrow and cocking her head to one side.

Lys nodded and followed her out of the room before thinking to ask, "Where are we going?"

Rana was keeping a brisk pace, but she wasn't anywhere near out of breath when she turned back to Lys, "Well, I'm assumin' you haven't eaten yet. So… the kitchen? It's well past breakfast, but we'll see what we can scrounge up for you."

Lys' stomach growled hungrily and she smiled, "That's a _great_ idea."

Rana showed her the way to the kitchen, where she promptly devoured a meal of eggs, fruit and toast. They each left the kitchen with a cup of hot tea and headed out towards Companion's Field. Lys set her cup on one of the fence posts as soon as she they arrived. Aimery was already at the fence, his long neck draped over the wood of the top bar.

She swung her leg over the fence as carefully as she could, then tossed her arms around his neck and hugged him. He turned his head back towards her and whuffed her hair affectionately.

There was another Companion next to him that Lys assumed was Rana's. Lyssa took her nose out of Aimery's mane and looked over at the pair. Rana looked up at her and smiled, running one hand down along the Companion's back.

"This is Shalea." She said, by way of introduction.

Lys nodded to the Companion, who nodded gravely back at her. Then she motioned to Aimery, "This is Aimery."

Rana nodded a greeting as well, then said, "You'll be spending a lot of your free time down here. Especially since your Bond is new, you two need to spend a lot of time together to strengthen it."

Lyssa smiled happily at the idea of spending more time with Aimery. His quiet contentedness in the back of her mind when she thought of being around him made her smile even more.

"I think I can handle that," she announced. Rana laughed. After a few moments more, Rana stepped back from Shalea and turned to Lyssa.

"We should get going. I'm supposed to show you around to where your classes are. We can come back here later."

Lyssa nodded and hugged Aimery one last time:_I'll come back as soon as they let me, love._: she assured him, then hopped the fence again.

:_I know you will._: he responded, then shoved his nose into the small of her back:_Get going so you can get back here sooner._: She laughed as Rana joined her and they ambled off together.

"Where to now?" Lys asked.

Rana gave a little sideways smile and nodded to a small building a little ways off in the distance, "The salle."

Lys had been to a salle before, so the appearance of the place was no big surprise to her. Flat, sanded wooden floors. Weapons racks. Even the large mirrors that hung on one wall, though shockingly large and surely appallingly expensive, seemed to fit in there. Certainly the two young men in trainee grays circling each other in the center of the room seemed perfectly natural.

Above all things, the Herald standing off away from the combatants seemed perfectly at ease. He took in the fluid motions of the two trainees with a keen eye, holding a wooden practice sword loosely in one hand to separate them when need be. She watched him moving in a slow circle around the two students and was reminded strongly of her father. She shoved away the thought of her father, assuring herself that he was safe.

Rana nodded to the man when he caught her eye. He let the two circle each other for a moment more, then called a halt to it.

"Samiel. Very well, did you. High on your left side, you are, but that will be remedied. To the mirrors go." He told the first youngster, who obeyed, turning to mirrors along the wall to practice his thrusts.

To the second boy, he said, "Well you did. Stretch and then to clean up you may go." The boy nodded gratefully and retired to the side of the salle to stretch before relaxing along the wall.

As he talked, Lys became aware of his strange accent and the syntax with which he spoke. Baffled as to what place it was from, she asked Aimery.

:_Karse. Alberich is Karsite._: Aimery answered.

:_Karsite? But we're- He's-_: Lys was barely able to recover from her shock before Alberich was standing in front of her, having dismissed the rest of the class. He nodded gravely to her and turned to Rana.

"New trainee you bring me?" he asked her.

Rana nodded and made the introductions, "Yes. Alberich, this is Lyssa. Lyssa, this is Weaponsmaster Alberich."

Lys eyed him warily, taking care to not let that wariness show on the surface. Karse. Alberich is _Karsite_. She didn't know quite how she felt about that.

For the past two years, Valdemar had been deeply involved in a war with Karse. The Sunpriests, Karse's spiritual and political leaders, in a ruthless move, had hired the Tedrels to do their fighting for them. The very idea had left her sleepless when Lys had first heard of it.

The Tedrels were a nation without a home to call their own. Finding themselves homeless, they had gone mercenary, selling their swords to the highest bidder in the hopes of buying their home back one day. As time moved on, the nation began to not so much care about their original home. They decided that any home would do. And now it seemed that Karse had promised them Valdemar. The thought of an entire nation of mercenaries with nothing to lose terrified Lys.

All over Valdemar, men of fighting age had been taken from their homes and conscripted into the army. Her father was a strange exception, he hadn't been to the front lines yet, for which Lys and her family were very grateful. But it seemed that lately, his stints away from home were getting longer and longer as the Tedrels' attacks were getting fiercer and fiercer.

So she looked at this man whose land had been battering the edges of her country for three summers now and carefully schooled her expression into one of utter calm.

He, for his part, seemed completely implacable behind the burn scars that littered his face. He looked her over quickly, top to toe, then nodded slightly.

"Alberich, I am. Weaponmaster. What weapons know you?" he asked.

The tone in his voice as he addressed her made her want to stand at attention and punctuate all of her sentences with "sir." She didn't; however. She forced herself to remain standing in the same position and toss out the names of the various weapons she knew the use of.

"Sword, short sword and rapier. Knife, both throwing and hand to hand. Crossbow. Hunting bow. And," she couldn't help but keep the smile from her face as she spoke. He would interpret it as cockiness. Let him, "unarmed combat."

He raised an eyebrow during her recitation and she swore that she had seen a flicker of amusement in the back of his eyes. He blinked once when she was done talking, then nodded.

"Good. When the Healers say well you are, come to me you will, for lessons."

She took his words as the dismissal that they were and turned with Rana to leave the salle behind.

As the pair ambled down the path, Lys tried to resolve in her head what she had just seen. Eventually she turned to Rana and asked, "That's a little odd, isn't it?"

"What is?" Rana asked breezily.

"Having a Karsite teaching us weapons work. It seems anti-productive." Lys said frankly, never having been one to mince words. She was shocked at her soft-looking friend's violent reaction. Rana whirled around, placing herself firmly in front of Lys, her eyes blazing.

"Alberich is one of the most honorable, good men that I have ever met. Coming from Karse doesn't mean that someone is evil. You would do well to look below the skin before you decide to judge someone, Lyssa Bohrihim." Her voice was deceptively low as she spoke, her posture stiff and taut.

Lyssa felt her eyes widen at the rebuke. She had not expected so violent a response from Rana, who struck her as being very mild-mannered and sweet.

:_We all have hidden depths, Chosen._: Aimery whispered to her. Hearing the slight separateness in his voice, she caught the meaning behind it and blanched. Aimery trusted Alberich. Well, that was good enough for her.

"I apologize." She whispered to her new friend, "I don't know why I even suspected… He's a Herald. Of course he's trustworthy."

Rana looked slightly taken aback, then she nodded, "It's all right. It's hard for some people with the war and all. I understand." She smiled, the transgression of a few moments earlier seemingly forgotten, "Well, shall we go and get some lunch?"

Lys smiled and nodded then followed Rana up the path towards the Collegium.


End file.
